Heinrichs to Hold WNT Training Camp from Oct. 23-31 in San Diego

NewsOct 9, 2001

CHICAGO (Tuesday, October 9, 2001) - U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs will bring 20 players to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., from Oct. 23-31, 2001 as she takes the week to work with the best and brightest young talent in the WUSA. Heinrichs named 19 players to her camp roster today and will likely name a 20th player in the coming days.

Aside from the 33-year-old Joy Fawcett, who is still coming back from the birth of her third child, the oldest player in camp will be 26-year-old Shannon MacMillan. The other eighteen players range in age from 21-25 and all played in the WUSA during the inaugural season. Forward Danielle Fotopoulos, a member of the 1999 Women's World Cup Team who finished tied for fifth in the league in scoring with nine goals and five assists, gets her first call-back to the national team since having a baby in November of 2000. Her teammate on the '99 champions, Tiffany Roberts, also got the call-up.

Heinrichs held a 24-player training camp prior to the Nike U.S. Women's Cup and released six players to get down to her 18-player tournament roster. Four of the WUSA players among that group were called into this camp: Kylie Bivens, Staci Burt, Roberts and Lindsay Stoecker. Of the 19 players in the upcoming camp, 13 were at the Nike U.S. Women's Cup, a tournament that saw two U.S. matches canceled due to the tragedies of Sept. 11. This camp will give Heinrichs a chance to evaluate some of the players who missed out on valuable training and playing time.

Also returning to the national team fold are forward Mandy Clemens of the Philadelphia Charge, the 1999 Hermann and MAC Award winner at Santa Clara and 2000 Olympian Nikki Serlenga of the Atlanta Beat. Getting their first call-ups to the full national team are a pair of former U.S. Under-21 National Team internationals in forward Tara Koleski and midfielder Shannon Boxx, both of the San Diego Spirit.

Goalkeeper Lakeysia Beene and defender Kelly Lindsey, two members of the Bay Area CyberRays who played key roles in helping win the WUSA championship, were called in along with Spirit goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo. Defender Heather Mitts, who had a banner year at right back for the Charge, was also chosen.